Famous Bridges

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Introduction

Bridges have, throughout history, been focal points of a town, city or region's development. The collection of bridges covered here includes everything from the historic bridges of small towns and cities in Europe, to the impressive new bridges of modernising Asian cities.

Asia

Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge, Kobe

Japan - Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge

© All Rights Reserved nbennion

• Location: Kobe, Japan
• Crosses: Akashi Strait
• Date opened: 1998
• Length: 3911 metres
• Span: 1991 metres
• Type: Suspension Bridge

The Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge, also known as the Pearl Bridge, is the longest suspension bridge (measured by the length of the center span of 1,991 metres). it spans the Akashi Strait connectiong Kobe and Iwaya on Awayi Island. The bridge took almost 12 years to build. Construction began in May 1986, and the bridge was opened to traffic on the 5th of April 1998. The central span would have had a span of 1990 metres, if the Kobe earthquake in 1995 had not moved the columns one metre further apart. As only the columns were placed by that time, the span was wided with one extra metre.

Garden Bridge, Shanghai

Garden Bridge, Shanghai

© All Rights Reserved Utrecht

• Location: Shanghai, China
• Crosses: Suzhou Creek
• Date opened: 1907
• Length: 106.7 metres
• Span: 52.16 metres
• Type: Camelback truss bridge

The Garden Bridge is a unique bridge with a rich history. Known in China as the Waibaidu Bridge, it is in fact the 4th in a series of bridges located in the same spot on Suzhou Creek in the heart of Shanghai. The first of these was constructed in 1856; the current bridge was completed in 1907.

Rainbow Bridge, Tokyo

Tokyo

© All Rights Reserved stamaheep

• Location: Tokyo, Japan
• Crosses: Tokyo Bay
• Date opened: 1993
• Length: 917 metres
• Span: 570 metres
• Type: Suspension bridge

Rainbow Bridge is a modern bridge echoing Tokyo's impressive skyline. The bridge has two decks: the upper deck has an expressway, while the lower deck carries a train line and another road. There are also two separate pedestrian walkways on the north and south sides of the bridge.

The Bridge over the River Kwai

The Bridge over River Kwai

© All Rights Reserved twiggy

• Location: Near Kanchanaburi, Thailand
• Crosses: Mae Khlung/Kwae Yai
• Date opened: 1943
• Type: Steel truss bridge

The Bridge over the River Kwai is famous for no other reason than the novel and film that popularised it in the 1950s. The bridge actually crosses the Mae Khlung, not the River Kwai, but after the book and film started producing an inflow of tourists, the Thais renamed part of the river to Kwae Yai, which means Big Kwai. The bridge has remained more or less unchanged since it was first built by prisoners of war during World War II.

Europe

Chapel Bridge, Lucerne

Luzern

© All Rights Reserved nikio

• Location: Lucerne, Switzerland
• Crosses: Reuss River
• Date opened: 1333
• Length: 204 metres
• Type: Wooden bridge

Chapel Bridge, or Kapellbrücke, is the oldest wooden bridge in Europe. It is a remarkable historic landmark in the Swiss town of Lucerne, and is one of the country's main tourist attractions. Connected to it is the Wasserturm (Water Tower), which has been used as a prison, torture chamber, watchtower and treasury. The bridge is covered. Inside, it features paintings by 120 triangular paintings by Kaspar Meglinger from the 17th century, depicting events from local history. After a fire in 1993, much of the bridge had to be reconstructed.

Charles Bridge, Prague

Looking Down on Charles Bridge

© All Rights Reserved mjlayton

• Location: Prague, Czech Republic
• Crosses: Vltava River
• Date opened: 1402
• Length: 516 metres
• Type: Stone bridge

It took half a century to build Charles Bridge (named after King Charles IV, who laid the bridge's first stone in 1357), but Prague needed it: after the Judith Bride was destroyed in 1342, the city had no bridge connecting the eastern and western shores of the temperamental Vltava River. The Charles Bridge became an important factor in the development of Prague, as the city became a strategic point between east and west. Now, the bridge is a pedestrian-only area and a hub of activity, featuring local Czech musicians, artists and street vendors.

Millau Viaduct, Millau

millau's bridge -2,5 km long , 250 m hight

© All Rights Reserved gom

• Location: Millau, France
• Crosses: River Tarn
• Date opened: December 17, 2004
• Length: 2460 metres
• Span: 342 metres
• Type: Cable-stayed bridge

The Millau Viaduct is part of the A75-A71 autoroute from Paris to the south. The viaduct was designed by Michel Virlogeux and Norman Foster. It is the tallest landbased vehicular bridge in the world, with one mast's (P2) summit at 343 metres (1,125 ft), and a road deck at 270 metres. A record that is not likely to stand for a long time, as it will be surpassed by the Chenad Bridge in India, when it opens in December 2009. For cars the toll charge for this bridge is 5.60 Euros. (and in July and August: 7.40 Euros)

Old Bridge, Mostar

the Bridge

© All Rights Reserved pampeliska

• Location: Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Crosses: River Neretva
• Date opened: 1566
• Re-opened: July 23, 2004
• Length: 29 metres
• Type: Stone arch bridge

On November 9, 1993, with the nations of the former Yugoslavia involved in the Bosnian War, Croatian forces destroyed Mostar Bridge (locally known as Stari Most). Built in the middle of the 16th century by an Ottoman architect, the bridge crossed the River Neretva. Between 1999 and 2004, the Mostar Bridge was rebuilt, an important project funded by various international governments, including that of Croatia. In 2005, UNESCO named the bridge on its World Heritage List, along with the surrounding neighbourhoods.

Oresund Bridge, Denmark to Sweden

Sailing under Öresundsbron - the bridge between Sweden and Denmark

© All Rights Reserved snatterand

• Location: Between Copenhagen (Denmark) and Malmö (Sweden)
• Crosses: Oresund Strait
• Date opened: July 2, 2000
• Length: 7,845 metres
• Span: 490 metres
• Type: Cable-stayed bridge

The Oresund Bridge is Europe's longest combined road and rail bridge. It stretches from Copenhagen, Denmark, to Malmö, Sweden and carries the Oresund Railway Line and European route E20. There is a toll charge for vehicles to get across (245 DKK/300 SEK for a standard car).

Pont Alexandre III, Paris

• Location: Paris, France
• Crosses: River Seine
• Date opened: 1900
  

  Pont Alexandre III, Paris

  © All Rights Reserved mtlchica

• Length: 160 metres
• Span: 107.5 metres
• Type: Stone arch bridge

Touted the most ornate and extravagant bridge in Paris, Pont Alexandre III is lavished with Art Nouveau decorations of lamps, cherubs, nymphs and winged horses at either end of the bridge. Named after Tsar Alexander III, the bridge was built between 1896 and 1900, opened just in time for Universal Exhibition 1900. It was also built under strict instruction to prevent obscuring of the views of both the Champs-Élysées and the Invalides. On each end of the bridge are large gilded statues on 17-metre granite socles, with Fames restraining Pegasus atop of each: on the right bank, the Renommée des Sciences ("Fame of the Sciences") and the Renommée des Arts ("Fame of the Arts") both by Emmanuel Frémiet; on the Left Bank, the Renommée du Commerce ("Fame of Commerce") by Pierre Granet and the Renommée de l'Industrie ("Fame of Industry") by Clément Steiner.

Pont du Gard, Vers-Pont-du-Gard

Pont Du Gard

© All Rights Reserved paulymx

• Location: Vers-Pont-du-Gard, France
• Crosses: River Gard
• Date opened: 19 B.C.
• Length: 275 metres (at the longest, the upper level)
• Span: 2.6 metres
• Type: Stone arch bridge

The Pont du Gard was built to allow the aqueduct of Nîmes (which is almost 50 kilometres long) to cross River Gard. Standing at 49 metres, the bridge was built on three levels: the lower level at 142 metres in length and consists on 6 arches, the middle level at 242 metres in length and spans across 11 arches, and the higher level at the longest of 275 metres while supported by 35 arches. In 1985, the Pont du Gard was added to UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites.

Ponte di Rialto, Venice

Rialto

© All Rights Reserved yakshaver

• Location: Venice, Italy
• Crosses: Grand Canal
• Date Opened: 1591
• Length: 28.80 metres
• Type: Stone arch bridge

The Ponte di Rialto (or Rialto Bridge) is the oldest of three bridges spanning Venice's Grand Canal. It was built as a replacement for a wooden bridge which had stood in its spot, but collapsed several times. The bridge's three stepped walkways are separated by two rows of small touristy shops. Originally critics disregarded the bridge as ugly and top-heavy. It has now become a Venetian icon and, alongside St. Mark's square, one of the city's most popular attractions.

Ponte Vecchio, Florence

Ponte Vecchio

© All Rights Reserved dshgaldfuh

• Location: Florence, Italy
• Crosses: Arno River
• Date Opened: Originally 996, last rebuilt in 1345
• Length: 84 metres
• Type: Stone Closed-Spandrel Segmental Arch Bridge

The Ponte Vecchio is one of the primary sights in Florence. The bridge is walled on both sides with shops, which were popular in medieval times. Originally butchers occupied these shops, but due to the animal waste degrading the water they were kicked out in 1593 and gold merchants moved in. To this day, there are several high end jewelry shops located on the Ponte Vecchio. No one knows why, but the Nazis did not destroy the Ponte Vecchio in World War II, even though they did destroy all the other bridges in Florence. Instead the Nazis blew up everything around the bridge so it could not be crossed.

Storebæltsbroen (Great Belt Bridge), The Great Belt

• Location: The Great Belt, Denmark
• Links: Islands of Zealand (Sjælland) and Funen (Fyn)
• Date opened: June 14, 1998
• Length: 6,790 metres
• Span: 1,624 metres
• Type: Suspension bridge

Officially named Østbroen (East Bridge), this bridge that has the world's third longest span has enable rapid travel over the Great Belt strait, reducing traditional ferry travel of an hour to just ten minutes by motorised vehicles. Together with Øresund Bridge, it is now possible to drive between mainland Europe and Scandinavia via Denmark, greatly reducing the distance of an alternative land route via Finland.

Széchenyi Chain Bridge, Budapest

Budapest

© All Rights Reserved sp_key

• Location: Budapest, Hungary
• Crosses: Danube River
• Date opened: November 20, 1849
• Length: 202 metres
• Type: Suspension bridge

The Széchenyi Chain Bridge is the symbolic and physical link between Buda and Pest and was in fact the first permanent connection between the two sides of Budapest. The bridge takes its name from István Széchenyi, who was a major supporter of the construction. When it was first built, it was remarkable for its majestic beauty - and it also played an important role in the development of Hungary's economy. Today, the bridge carries two lanes of traffic and remains an iconic landmark in the Hungarian capital.

Tower Bridge, London

Tower Bridge of London

© All Rights Reserved Jack yuk

• Location: London, England
• Crosses: River Thames
• Date opened: 1894
• Length: 244 metres
• Span: 61 metres
• Type: Combined bascule and suspension bridge

Named after nearby London Tower, the Tower Bridge is a popular London landmark stretching across the River Thames. The bridge's design is notable for its combination of a central bascule bridge (to allow for river traffic) with suspension bridges on either side. It has a distinctive Victorian Gothic style that is instantly recognisable and was intended to echo the London Tower.

North America

Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco

San Francisco

© All Rights Reserved stamaheep

• Location: San Francisco, USA
• Crosses: Golden Gate
• Date opened: May 27, 1937
• Length: 2,737 metres
• Span: 1,280 metres
• Type: Suspension bridge

The Golden Gate Bridge is a San Franciscan icon. It crosses over the Golden Gate, a 400-metre stretch of water separating the San Francisco Peninsula from Marin County. Built between 1933 and 1937 for $25.7 million, it was the world's longest suspension bridge until 1957. It is part of US Highway 101 and State Route 1, serving an average of 100,000 vehicles every day.

Brooklyn Bridge, New York

Brooklyn Bridge

© All Rights Reserved matt_25

• Location: New York, USA
• Crosses: East River
• Date opened: 1883
• Length: 1834 metres
• Type: Suspension bridge

A New York icon, the Brooklyn Bridge is one of the US's oldest suspension bridges, connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn across the East River. Granite gothic towers stand at each end of the bridge. Due to its special significance, it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1964. Visitors can cross the bridge on a wide pedestrian walkway and enjoy good views of East River, the harbour and downtown Manhattan.

Confederation Bridge, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick

Confederation Bridge - Canada

© All Rights Reserved Midworlder

• Location: Prince Edward Island, Canada
• Crosses: Northumberland Strait
• Date opened: 1997
• Length: 12900 metres
• Type: Multi-span concrete box girder

The Confederation Bridge spanning the ocean between the Canadian provinces of Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick is the longest in the world crossing ice-covered water. It is a part of the Trans-Canada highway which spans all the Canadian provinces. It completes a fixed link between the rest of Canada to the province of Prince Edward Island.

Oceania

Sydney Harbour Bridge

Sydney Harbour Bridge

© All Rights Reserved Degolasse

• Location: Sydney, Australia
• Crosses: Darling Harbour
• Date opened: March 19, 1932
• Length: 1149 metres
• Span: 503 metres
• Type: Steel arch bridge

Alongside the Opera House, the Sydney Harbour Bridge is one of the city's most famous structures. It is the world's widest long-span bridge, the highest steel arch bridge and the 4th-longest spanning-arch bridge. It is heavily used by local residents, as trains, cars, pedestrians and cyclists all use it.